


Bright

by EloquentDossier



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Fluff, Garcia Ships It, Helpful Garcia, Hotch could stand to be less of a gentleman honestly, Insightful Jack, Light Angst, M/M, Oblivious!Reid, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining!Hotch, Reid is kind of a tease, UST, Unresolved Sexual Tension, and by that I mean Hotch is a nervous wreck, but it's not his fault, but only on the inside, everyone ships it, if needed, let's be real, okay now it's Reid's fault he's being a tease
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-31
Updated: 2015-07-16
Packaged: 2018-04-02 06:10:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4049185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EloquentDossier/pseuds/EloquentDossier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"There were several things in Aaron Hotchner's life that had never made sense to him.  He didn't understand why nearly everyone in his family (minus his son Jack) couldn't quite fathom why he felt drawn to the BAU.  He didn't get how so many people in the world had such depraved mindsets.  And he wasn't entirely sure why he still hadn't drug-tested his team's tech analyst, Penelope Garcia.  (He was also confused about her relationship with Derek Morgan, but he wasn't going to touch that with a ten foot pole.)</p><p>But what baffled Hotch the most was how someone who was as intelligent as Spencer Reid could be so inherently <em>oblivious</em>."</p><p>xxx</p><p>Written for the prompt:  <em>I've seen a lot of oblivious!Hotch fic, but how about Reid being oblivious of his own feelings for Hotch?  Hotch is aware, and reciprocates.  Fluffy journey of realization maybe? Bonus for Garcia being helpful. </em></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ayantiel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ayantiel/gifts).



There were several things in Aaron Hotchner's life that had never made sense to him. He didn't understand why nearly everyone in his family (minus his son Jack) couldn't quite fathom why he felt drawn to the BAU. He didn't get how so many people in the world had such depraved mindsets. And he wasn't entirely sure why he still hadn't drug-tested his team's tech analyst, Penelope Garcia. (He was also confused about her relationship with Derek Morgan, but he wasn't going to touch that with a ten foot pole.)

But what baffled Hotch the most was how someone who was as intelligent as Spencer Reid could be so inherently _oblivious_.

Reid could rattle off facts that no one else knew, without even really having to stop and think about them. He knew the acreage or mileage of almost any area with an almost concerning accuracy—and could also give a detailed route from one city to another, including how long it would take. He was capable of grasping a situation quickly and thinking his way out, even under dire circumstances. Hell, the man could even read people's body language _over the phone_.

And yet somehow the brunette profiler had never realized that he had feelings for Hotch. (Or that Hotch had feelings for him, but that could be excused.)

Maybe he was being too hard on him. The first time Hotch had noticed it was about a year after Reid had joined the BAU. Though he typically hung around his mentor and recruiter, Jason Gideon—and at one point seemed to have a crush on JJ—there had been small moments where he'd smiled shyly and glanced up at Hotch from beneath his lashes. It had been slightly disarming initially, but Hotch had been (mostly) happily married at that point with a kid on the way, and the little looks had been brushed to the wayside to be dealt with at a later moment (that never really came).

It was nearly two years later that everything had started falling apart; Haley had taken Jack and left when Hotch had gone on one case too many for her, and there was no fixing it. He had basically ignored everything that he could (including Reid's drug addiction, which was one thing he couldn't think about without feeling utter self-loathing) in an effort to save his marriage, even though he'd known it was doomed the moment Haley started acting odd. And soon after it all fell apart, he started losing control when he shouldn't have. 

One of the moments that stood out to him—that made him take a step back and assess just how out of hand he'd gotten—was when he and Reid were interviewing Chester Hardwick. The situation had gone from bad to worse, and Hotch had had difficulties keeping his temper in check. Reid had had to step in to keep a fight from breaking out, and it was only after Reid's quick thinking and long-winded explanation got them out of the risky situation that Hotch reflected on what had occurred and came to the startling conclusion that he'd terrified the younger profiler by antagonizing Hardwick, and things could have easily gone awry. 

And that was unacceptable. 

Reid, as always, didn't place the blame on Hotch, though he was willing to admit Hotch hadn't helped, and it was only after Hotch explained why he was so uptight that Reid did the one thing no one else ever had: he asked what Hotch wanted. That, coupled with Reid's willingness to express his concern for Hotch, was probably what triggered the confusing mess of feelings towards the genius.

It was subtle, really, how Reid slowly slipped underneath his defenses. Looking back, it was easy to pinpoint the when's and how's, but he didn't really notice it happening until over a year later, after Haley's death, and by then it was already too late.

They'd been on the jet, heading back after a particularly rough case, when Hotch suddenly heard Reid on one of his tangents, laughing to himself about some detail none of the others found humorous. Hotch had lifted his head and turned to look at the brunette male, and the sight of Reid so excited and amused had him grinning. His lips were still quirked in a smile when Reid's gaze met his, and the younger profiler's expression shifted ever-so-slightly into a bashful smile. 

And then Reid gave him one of _those_ looks—the ones he hadn't seen (or perhaps hadn't wanted to see) in several years—and Hotch had felt his mouth go dry as heat crept up his neck and into his ears. He had quickly turned back to the file he was reviewing in an attempt to collect himself and figure out why that look, coming from Reid, had him feeling like a nervous teenager again.

Hotch did his best to keep things normal after he'd finally accepted the realization that he had developed feelings for the younger man, but when faced with Reid's undivided attention, it wasn't exactly easy. He found himself speaking to Reid more often, reveling in the avid way Reid listened. Sometimes he even found excuses to touch Reid's shoulder or back, welcoming the surge of warmth that came from the knowledge that Reid didn't shy away from the touches but instead sent small smiles his way. And in return to the slightly abnormal treatment, Reid was quick to do anything Hotch requested, no questions asked. There were even times when Reid would be so excited to help that he practically vibrated with every movement he made and couldn't keep a grin off his face.

He should've known it wouldn't take long for someone to notice.

* * *

Hotch was in the midst of writing the final details for a consulting profile when he heard, "Sir?"

The dark-haired man glanced up from the paper in front of him, stopping mid-word as he saw the anxious expression on the redhead's face. He set his pen down and gave her his full attention. "Come on in, Garcia."

He knew something was definitely up when she closed the door behind her and came to stand in front of his desk, smiling nervously. "I have something I want to discuss with you, sir."

"Go ahead," he replied calmly, folding his hands on top of his desk.

"Right. Uh, I was just... This isn't entirely work-related, so I'm not sure if now is the best time to bring it up, but I also didn't know when _would_ be a good time, and I thought I may as well do it now," Garcia ranted nervously, pausing for a breath.

Hotch took advantage of that pause to interject, "Garcia, what is it?"

"Is something going on with you and Reid?" she blurted before covering her mouth with one hand. "I'm sorry, sir.  That's not how I wanted—" she cut herself off as Hotch held up a hand.

He studied her in silence for a moment before slowly asking, "What led you to that conclusion?"

Garcia looked at a loss for words for a moment before she answered, "Uh, just, you've both been acting different lately. Mainly you, actually. Ever since... well, you know. Uh, you're typically sad. Sir. But whenever Reid's around, you don't look as sad, if that makes... sense. Am I making any sense?"

Hotch managed a slight smile, nodding. "You are."

"Okay, good. That's... good. And Reid's distinctly happier, as well, if you were wondering. It's not just you. Yours is just more noticeable," Garcia explained, as if she were concerned about offending him.

"We're not dating," Hotch stated in order to get it out of the way. "In fact, I'm not sure Reid even realizes what's going on."

Garcia nodded excitedly, almost tripping over her words in order to get them out more quickly. "Yes, that's exactly what I was going to tell you!" Her voice rose a bit too loudly, and she winced before continuing more calmly, "I just wasn't sure if I was seeing things right. No one else has said anything about it, so I thought I was going crazy. But this is good!"

Hotch smiled wryly. "I'm not sure how Reid being oblivious to not only my feelings but his feelings as well, could be considered a good thing."

"Oh, well, obviously that's not what I was... getting at. Sir. I just meant that it was good it was actually happening. But it's not too bad, right? We just need to make him realize it," Garcia answered with a grin.

Hotch raised both his brows. "How do you suggest we manage that?"

She frowned for a moment before her face lit up. "Take him on dates!"

"I don't want to scare him away, Garcia," Hotch muttered.

"You won't! Start out with something simple. Invite him to lunch with you. Then, a week later invite him to dinner somewhere. Maybe that Indian restaurant he's always trying to get someone to go to," Garcia suggested. "After that, invite him to your place to eat with you and Jack. Or if you're not comfortable with that at the time, then go see a movie, and then the next time you can invite him over. If he still hasn't figured it out by then, then we can plan some other things."

Hotch deliberated for a long moment, studying the way Garcia was practically buzzing with excitement. "What if he asks why I didn't invite the others to lunch? Or dinner, for that matter?"

Garcia gave him a look he knew very well, though she'd never directed it at him. "You're not a coward, Aaron Hotchner, so don't start that. He probably won't ask, but even if he does, just tell him the truth. And how often are you two the last ones to leave after work? I'll answer that for you: a lot. Ask him then, if you're worried about dinner."

He didn't know how to explain his reticence because he didn't understand why he felt his stomach clench from nerves just at the thought of asking Reid to lunch or dinner. Which really didn't make any sense because it was _Reid_ , the one out of the entire team who would jump to spend time with any of them outside of work and cases. If he declined, it was because he already had plans or (in the case of lunch) was too busy doing work that wasn't just his own.

"You're right," he finally admitted, looking up at the redhead once more. "But I don't think dates in guise of friendly outings are going to cut it."

Garcia's responding smile and words were far more comforting than he'd expected. "Don't worry about that, sir. Leave the rest to me."


	2. lunch

Spencer Reid liked to pay attention to the small details that most people didn't care about—like lunch routines.

Whenever the team wasn't on a case, everyone had his or her own lunch routine. Derek Morgan and Penelope Garcia typically spent theirs together, mainly in the cafeteria a few floors down. It was rare that Jennifer Jareau (or JJ as they all called her) didn't head out to spend her lunch hour with her basically-but-not-really-husband, Will LaMontagne. Emily Prentiss, though she brought her lunch with her, more often sat outside in the courtyard for a change in scenery. David Rossi preferred to leave early for lunch, wielding some sort of dessert when he came back in _late_ from it. Aaron Hotchner—well, _if_ he _had_ lunch, it was often delivered—mostly sat at his desk, taking sparse bites of his food while working on reports. And Reid knew all this because he rarely took lunch at the same time as the others since he was typically engrossed in his case files, which resulted in him being chastised once the others returned from lunch, and ultimately JJ and Rossi started alternating who brought him something back.

So, yeah, when Hotch suddenly walked up to him at the start of lunch hour one day, it was probably safe to say he was stunned when the unit chief asked if he wanted to go to lunch. Which was why he only barely managed to squeak out a, "What?"

Hotch looked remotely amused by the response and repeated, "Would you like to go to lunch?" When Reid could do nothing but stare at the older man dumbly, the other profiler elaborated, "I thought you might enjoy going out to lunch instead of having it brought in to you."

Reid furrowed his brow and glanced to the side in thought, his brain processing all the potential reasons Hotch could be doing such a thing. 

Everything stilled to a halt, however, when a warm hand pressed down against his, and Hotch softly stated, "Reid." Reid's gaze flew up to meet Hotch's, and he swallowed around a lump that had suddenly formed in his throat. "It's all right if you don't want to go. I just wanted company and thought I would ask."

And for some reason those words were what had the boy genius blurting, "Okay." Hotch quirked a brow in a silent question, and Reid hastened to clarify, "I'll go. I want to go."

The slight quirk of Hotch's lips seemed almost shy as he pulled his hand back to his side. "Is now a decent stopping point for you?"

Reid glanced down at the file he had literally just opened before Hotch walked up to him before he smiled up at the unit chief. "Uh, yeah. I hadn't started reading it yet." Hotch nodded but didn't say anything, and it took Reid a moment to realize the man was waiting on him. "Right, sorry," he rushed his words, abruptly pushing himself to his feet and closing the file.

"You don't have to apologize," Hotch commented, waiting until Reid pulled the strap of his messenger bag over his head before he started walking in the direction of the elevator. Reid hurried to fall in step with his boss, glancing up when the other man asked, "Is there anywhere particular you'd like to go?"

Reid hesitated and bit down on his lower lip, unsure of the etiquette of the situation. He hadn't expected to be given a choice in the decision-making since Hotch had invited him along, and part of him wanted to say as much. But he also knew if he did that, they could very well end up at a Chinese restaurant since Hotch seemed to really enjoy those, and Reid didn't really want to fumble his way through his meal using chopsticks. (He knew he could ask for a fork, but he truly hated doing that.)

Reid was surprised when Hotch didn't gently prompt a reply from him, and it wasn't until they were in the elevator that he suggested, "What about the new Italian place? It's only a couple blocks away."

"That sounds fine," Hotch replied, and Reid smiled to himself.

* * *

The walk to the restaurant was filled with mostly dodging other pedestrians, and as such, there wasn't much talking. The nervous anxiety Reid felt was back twofold, however, as they were seated. He still wasn't convinced that the outing was just an outing, but he didn't want Hotch to notice, so he tried to fight back his nerves by focusing intently on every word on the menu, even though he didn't need to. That plan apparently hadn't worked, however.

"Reid, calm down. Your knee is bouncing so hard it's shaking the table," Hotch remarked absently, and Reid felt his face flush. "Relax. It's just lunch."

"Right. Sorry," Reid responded, wincing when his voice squeaked. He felt his face flush hotter when Hotch glanced at him with a smile before returning to his perusal of the menu.

Reid felt painfully awkward at the table, and he wasn't sure what to do. He was afraid if he started rambling, it would only get on Hotch's nerves. Thankfully, the waitress came and took their order before that could happen, and she smiled brightly at him before darting off to get their drinks.

"You don't have to keep quiet, you know." Hotch's statement had Reid jumping in his seat. Hazel eyes met brown ones, and Reid was surprised to see Hotch was still smiling. He averted his gaze for a moment and then cleared his throat, fiddling with the ends of the tablecloth. "What did you do this past weekend?" Hotch prompted gently.

Reid's tongue darted out to wet his lips, and he forced himself to focus on the question. "I watched Henry so Will and JJ could have a date night. The last time they'd had one was... three months, two weeks, and six days prior. Even if it hadn't been that long, I could tell they needed it with how they were acting. JJ was worried about leaving Henry alone with me, though, so Garcia came over."

Hotch's brows furrowed, and his head tilted the slightest bit. "Why doesn't she want to leave Henry alone with you?"

Reid laughed slightly and gave Hotch a quizzical look. "Does 'The Reid Effect' not mean anything to you anymore?" he teased, and he was surprised by the confusion on Hotch's face.

"That was years ago, Reid, and it happened even when others were with you. That obviously doesn't apply anymore. Henry adores you," Hotch pointed out, and there was something odd about his tone that Reid couldn't quite put his finger on. "Why don't you ask if she'll let you babysit him alone next time?"

Reid tilted his head, studying Hotch's posture briefly. He didn't know why it was so difficult to believe Hotch was being sincere, but when Hotch simply quirked a brow at him, he grinned. "Maybe I will." It was noncommittal, but it was the best he could do. He didn't want to badger JJ about it, and he knew it would have to be the right timing.

The warm silence that had temporarily settled over them was broken by the return of the waitress with their drinks, and after asking if they needed anything, she winked and headed off to another table.

Reid immediately doctored the coffee he'd ordered, adding several packets of sugar. He tentatively took a sip and made a face. Deciding it needed more, he reached for more packets and was in the midst of opening one when he caught Hotch watching him with a smile. "What?" he queried, proceeding to pour the sugar into the cup.

"One of the people at the table behind you is gaping at the amount of sugar you're using," Hotch answered, sounding amused. "And now she's telling everyone else at their table."

Reid made a face and sighed. "I don't get what's so weird about it. I like my coffee to be sweet."

"You like to drink liquid sugar," Hotch rejoined, and the look on his face was daring Reid to contradict him.

After opening and closing his mouth several times, Reid heard Hotch chuckling, and out of almost automatic retaliation, he flicked a sugar packet at the other man. It glanced off Hotch's chin and onto the table, and Reid felt the blood drain from his face as Hotch's brows rose. "S-sorry," he stammered. "It was out of habit. I'm... I'm used to Morgan teasing me."

What Reid wasn't expecting was for his unit chief to flick the packet back at him, with quite deadly accuracy. It smacked him right between the eyes before falling into his lap, and he blinked in surprise, his mouth falling open. Hotch's brown eyes were practically _glowing_ as he replied, "Now we're even."

It was such a _boyish_ thing to do that Reid couldn't help but laugh. This was the Aaron Hotchner he hadn't seen in quite some time, and it was a relief to see him again. And that was what finally allowed Reid to relax; a moment later, after catching a glimpse of a plate of spaghetti with meatballs, he queried, "Did you know that Italians don't actually eat meatballs with their spaghetti?"

"Actually, yes, I did. Dave has lectured me on everything we do wrong to Italian cuisine," Hotch answered, and Reid frowned slightly. "He didn't explain why, though."

Reid wasn't entirely sure that was true, but the fact that Hotch was trying made him smile and launch into an explanation anyway.

* * *

It wasn't until they'd gotten back into the elevator in their building that Reid felt Hotch gently touch his arm, and Reid swung his gaze up to meet the other man's. "I really enjoyed our lunch today," Hotch answered his unspoken question.

Reid was fairly certain he was grinning too wide, but he couldn't quite help it. He liked the fact that it wasn't just him. "I did, too. Do you think we could—" Reid stopped himself mid-sentence and cleared his throat. "Uh, nevermind."

"If you're willing to make a slight routine out of it, I think it could be helpful for us both," the unit chief admitted as the elevator came to a stop on their floor.

As they walked out of it, Reid smiled shyly and glanced up at Hotch. "I would like that," he agreed. "I would like that a lot, Hotch."

Reid watched as Hotch's expression became guarded again, and Reid knew that the older man was back to his boss persona. "I'll let you know, then. I have a meeting with Strauss in a few minutes, so go ahead and get back to work, all right?"

"Good luck. See you later, Hotch," Reid farewelled, offering the man a slight wave before heading back towards his desk. He was a little surprised to see Garcia standing against it (with no Morgan or Prentiss in sight), and he was even more surprised when she grinned at him.

"So, my Junior G-man, my Chocolate God tells me you went to lunch with Hotch today?" she asked.

Reid furrowed his brows at her. "...yes?"

The redhead made circular motions with her hands. "And how was it?"

"It was really nice. We went to that new Italian place, and I'm pretty sure he knew half the stuff I was telling him because of Rossi, but he didn't say anything," Reid mused aloud, stepping around the tech analyst and sliding into his seat.

Garcia sighed, an oddly contented little thing that had Reid giving her an odd look, but she obviously ignored his curiosity. "Are you two going to do it again?"

"Maybe. Hotch said he'd let me know when he wanted to do it again, but we didn't make concrete plans or anything," Reid answered, shrugging. "Why are you so interested in this?"

"Because," Garcia retorted with a huff, "he's been so depressed these past few months. And holing himself up in that office day in and day out isn't helping. I'm just happy he's making an effort to spend time with any of us, especially if it gets him out of here for an hour."

Reid made a humming noise and nodded his head in deferral to her explanation. Garcia always worried about every single one of them, so of course she would worry about Hotch. "Like I said, we didn't make any plans, but if he asks, I'll go. After I finally calmed down, we had a lot of fun."

"Well, I'm glad to hear it! I'm gonna head back down to my lair, so you know where to find me if you need me," the redhead farewelled with a grin and a wink.

Reid shook his head as she walked off. He almost felt like he was missing something, but he wasn't going to worry about it. With a mental shrug, he faced the case file he'd left on his desk and got back to work.


	3. dinner

At the sound of a knock on his open door, Hotch wasn't surprised to look up and see Garcia. He motioned for her to come in and heard her close the door, which prompted him to quickly finish the sentence he was on before setting down his pen and closing the file in front of him. When he looked up at Garcia once more, the redhead smiled in a way he knew meant she was a little miffed, and he had to admit he was remotely concerned about where this conversation was going to go. 

"Sir, I know you're worried about being too forward with Reid, and I get that.  I really do."  Garcia paused and took a breath before she continued, "But it's been _six weeks_ since you and Reid went to lunch!  And yes, I'm aware you two have been consistently going out to lunch when we're not on a case, but that is getting us _nowhere_."  Seeming to realize what she'd just said, she added, "Sir."

Hotch's lips twisted into a smile for a brief moment before he sighed and nodded.  "You're right.  I guess I just needed a little push."

"That's what Rossi said," Garcia agreed.

Hotch's brows shot up at that, though he didn't know why; it really shouldn't have been surprising.  "So you and Dave have been talking about it?"

Garcia winced as she realized her mistake.  "Not... exactly.  It's just—he's a very good profiler, sir.  He sort of just came up to me and told me that if things between you and Reid were ever going to go anywhere, then you would need—well, he said a shove because a gentle push wouldn't be good enough.  Which is why if you don't ask Reid to dinner this evening, then I am going to set it all up for you, and it will be so much more awkward than it has to be because I am kind of a sap for romance, and you'll end up with a candlelit dinner, a bottle of champagne, and soft piano music."

Hotch couldn't help but chuckle at the image that presented.  "I should probably be angry, but the fact that you are so adamant about this working makes that very difficult."  Garcia's responding smile was warm and possibly a touch shy.  "Assuming nothing comes up within the next couple of hours, I'll ask him.  But if he leaves early or if Morgan and Prentiss are still hanging around, then I'm allowed to wait without the repercussion of your arrangement."

Garcia grinned and winked.  "Oh, honey, don't worry about that.  I have a plan."

* * *

When Hotch finally walked out of his office and into the bullpen, he wasn't surprised to find Reid still sitting at his desk.  What _did_ surprise him, however, was the amount of files stacked there.  With a slight frown and a furrowed brow, he drew closer, studying Reid's posture and determining that the genius profiler seemed perfectly fine.  It didn't stop him from asking, "Reid, are you feeling well?"

It required a great deal of effort not to laugh at the way the younger man jumped in his seat, hazel eyes wide as lips parted to allow his breaths to leave in pants.  "Hotch, you scared me," Reid murmured, one of his hands pushing through his hair.  "And I'm fine.  Why do you ask?"

Hotch quirked a brow, his gaze falling pointedly to the stack of files sitting to the left of Reid's elbow before meeting Reid's eyes again.  The only time he recalled seeing a pile that high was when the younger man caught a cold.

"Oh, uh, this isn't...  Garcia asked me to go through these files and write down certain details for her.  So, um, I'm not actually doing... _work_ work," Reid explained, wincing when he was finished.

"So what you're saying is that you don't have to do it tonight?" Hotch queried, though he knew the answer already.  Leave it up to Garcia to ask Reid for a fake personal favor.

Reid looked adorably confused for all of two seconds (which was more than long enough to cause Hotch's heart to stutter) before he shrugged and gave a little half-nod-half-shake of his head.  "I suppose I don't, but it's not like I had any plans tonight aside from reading a few new books I bought the other day."

Hoping against all hope that he looked and sounded nonchalant, Hotch suggested, "Why don't you leave them for tomorrow, and I'll give you a lift home?  We can stop and get some dinner on the way."

Reid's mouth dropped open, and he seemed lost for words as he stammered, "Um, I don't...  I mean, are you...  What about Jack?"

Lips quirking into a smile, Hotch answered, "Jack's class is going on a field trip tomorrow, and Jessica is chaperoning, so she asked if he could stay with her to make things easier."

"Oh," Reid murmured faintly, and Hotch swore he could see the wheels turning in the genius's brain.

"Reid, you _are_ allowed to say 'no' if you're uncomfortable," Hotch felt the need to point out.  "I'd hate for you to think you're not being given a choice."

There was a short moment of silence as Reid stared up at him—and then suddenly the younger profiler abruptly stood and grabbed his messenger bag, and Hotch found himself quirking a brow as Reid turned to him.  A pretty pink flush dusted Reid's cheeks as he cleared his throat.  "I didn't answer out loud, did I?"

Hotch couldn't help but chuckle at that.  "No, you didn't.  Can I safely assume you've decided in favor of my idea?"

Reid nodded.  "But it's your turn to pick."

* * *

Hotch wasn't entirely sure how they'd ended up at his favorite diner.  He'd had every intention on going to either the Thai or Indian restaurants Reid had talked about a few times, but he hadn't been able to decide on which one, and it wasn't until he'd pulled into the parking lot that he'd realized where he'd blindly driven.

Reid, for his part, hadn't questioned where Hotch was going and had simply filled the car ride with idle chatter after some slight prompting.  He _did_ glance at Hotch almost curiously when they got out of the car, but otherwise seemed to trust that Hotch wouldn't take them to someplace Reid wouldn't like.

After they'd been seated and informed their waitress would be with them shortly, Hotch watched as Reid quickly glanced over the menu, his lips moving in silent words.  The older man felt like butterflies had taken flight in his stomach as he (not-so-)offhandedly commented, "They have excellent milkshakes."

Reid set the menu down with a soft hum, folding his hands together on top of the table.  "Which one would you recommend?" he questioned with a slight tilt of his head and a bright smile that did absolutely unfair things to Hotch's heart.

"For you?  Cappuccino.  It's practically the cold version of your coffee," Hotch teased, and his voice sounded odd to his own ears.

Reid (thankfully) either didn't notice or didn't find it important enough to comment on, and instead scowled almost playfully.  Hotch felt a ridiculous urge to lean across the table and kiss the adorable expression off the younger man's face—and he immediately shoved the thought away before he could get distracted by it.

"And which one is your favorite?"  Reid's inquiry helped him ignore the compulsion.

Hotch wasn't able to answer as their waitress came up to the table to take their orders, and he made sure to catch Reid's eye as he ordered the Mint Brownie milkshake.  Reid smiled and fiddled with his napkin as the waitress walked away to get their drinks.

"Did you know that milkshakes got their name from being served in bars?" Reid asked, methodically folding his napkin.

Hotch took note of the fleeting glance Reid spared him and wondered if the younger man was nervous.  "I did not.  How did that happen?" he replied, gently prompting Reid to continue.

"It was a matter of how much a customer enjoyed the drink.  If they didn't like it, the bartender didn't receive a tip.  However, if they _did,_ then they would shake hands with the bartender," Reid explained, still looking at his napkin.

A smile played at Hotch's lips as he commented, "They probably never would have gotten a shake from you."

Reid's expression turned thoughtful before he rejoined, "Actually, I do try to adhere to others' customs when necessary.  If the milkshake had been worth it, I would have set aside my qualms about handshakes."

"You never did explain why you were so adverse to them," Hotch mused aloud, tilting his head slightly.

"Aside from disliking physical contact with strangers?  The number of pathogens passed during a handshake is staggering.  It's actually safer to kiss," Reid supplied the answer with a shrug.

Hotch was saved from having to respond when the waitress came by to drop off their waters, which was perfectly fine with him because he definitely needed a moment to process that.  It was a bit concerning that all the younger man had to do was innocently mention kissing, and it resulted in Hotch being thrown off-kilter and shoving away inappropriate images.  In an effort to distract himself further, he picked up his glass of water and took a sip.

"It's actually a little ironic because on July 16, 1493, King Henry VI banned kissing in England to supposedly combat a plague," Reid added with a soft laugh, as if their conversation hadn't been paused momentarily.  "Granted, most people suspect he wasn't entirely mentally stable around that time, but it didn't stop other countries from following his lead.  And then on March 9, 1562, kissing in public was banned in Naples, Italy under possible penalty of death because another plague had started spreading."

By all accounts those sorts of facts should have made it _easier_ to stop thinking about kissing Reid, but it was a bit hard to concentrate on Reid's words when Hotch couldn't stop focusing on Reid's mouth—and it certainly didn't help when the genius profiler's tongue flicked out to wet his lips quickly in between a sentence because really, the _things_ that tongue could probably do...

Hotch wasn't sure how many times he would be grateful to their waitress, but he hoped she continued to stop by in time to rescue him from his dangerous thoughts.  After setting their milkshakes down, she tossed a couple of straws onto the table before asking if everything was all right and walking away again.

And that was when it happened.

Hotch's fingers landed on the straws and almost immediately afterwards, smooth soft skin brushed against the back of his hand.  Hotch's gaze shot up to meet Reid's, and the other profiler smiled sheepishly, color rising in his face.  "Sorry," Reid mumbled, pulling his hand back slightly.

"It's fine," he forced himself to speak—and really, it was.  _Too_ fine, if anything.  That one small touch had Hotch's heart pounding in his ears and chest, and his skin started buzzing pleasantly.  Over a damned barely-there brush of skin against his.  It was absolutely ridiculous.

Hotch picked up his straw and started to rip the paper off, chancing a glance at Reid in time to see the younger man giving him one of _those looks_.  The shy and flirty, almost effeminate glance that the genius apparently wasn't ever aware he made.  The one that wreaked havoc with Hotch's senses and made him want to reduce Reid to a trembling, whimpering mess.

Cursing silently, Hotch forced himself to focus on his milkshake, the taste of mint and chocolate helping clear his thoughts—at least until Reid moaned borderline-indecently around a mouthful of his Cappuccino milkshake, and Hotch realized he would be left with no choice but to fight his desire the entire way through dinner.

With a quiet, resigned sigh, he leaned back in the booth and prepared himself for a long evening.

* * *

When Garcia stopped by his office the next afternoon and started with, "So, Boy Wonder has been raving about this Cappuccino milkshake," Hotch could barely suppress a groan.

"Please do not bring up milkshakes for the foreseeable future.  I regret ever telling him to get it," Hotch muttered.

It took a moment, and then Garcia giggled, but when she spoke, it was thankfully only to say, "He said it was fun with this little shy smile.  It was extremely adorable, actually.  But he still doesn't quite understand.  Do you know what you're going to ask him to do next?"

Hotch sighed and shrugged one shoulder.  "I was thinking the movies would be best.  I don't know if I'm capable of handling seeing him with Jack just yet."

"My advice, sir?  Do it soon.  Maybe ask him to dinner _and_ a movie.  Oh!  You could invite him over when Jack isn't home, and you guys could have dinner and watch Doctor Who!" Garcia squealed before clamping a hand over her mouth.  "Sorry.  That was loud, wasn't it?"

A quick glance out his office window showed that it hadn't been loud enough to attract anyone's attention in the bullpen, and Hotch redirected his gaze to the redhead.  "No one noticed.  And I've never seen Doctor Who, Garcia."

The redhead grinned.  "Even better.  Reid would love it, and you could be introduced to one of the greatest shows of all time."

Hotch chuckled softly and shook his head.  "I'll think about it, but for now, we both need to get back to work."

"Of course, sir, you're absolutely right," Garcia agreed with a nod of her head as she turned and headed towards his door.  She turned around once she reached it, however, and added, "By the way, sir, Derek is, uh, definitely aware of what's going on now.  Just a heads-up."

"Thank you for the warning.  And Garcia, before you head back to your office, you should bring Reid something for doing that faux personal favor," Hotch suggested in a tone that was borderline an order.

Garcia flashed a grin and winked.  "Already planned on it, sir, but it's nice that you're ensuring he isn't being taken advantage of.  See you later, boss man."

Hotch couldn't stop his grin as she disappeared out the door.  It was nice to have her on his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I sincerely want to thank [cvlthouse](http://www.cvlthouse.tumblr.com/) on tumblr for suggesting the cliché accidentally-brushing-hands thing since I couldn't come up with anything significant for this chapter.


	4. movie (more like tv show)

Hotch sighed softly, contemplating just how obvious it was that not one and not even two, but _three_ of his agents were currently standing in his office.  _During_ work hours.  With devious grins on their faces.  (All right, maybe not that last bit, but Prentiss's grin was definitely veering into that category.)

"Is it necessary for all three of you to be present?" he queried, his gaze alternating between the three agents in turn before resting on Garcia.

"Yes," the tech analyst blurted, and Hotch was almost certain that was a lie.

With a short motion of his hand, he muttered wryly, "Make it quick."

Morgan was the one who spoke first.  "Garcia told me your plans for the next date are possibly dinner and a movie.  She also said she'd suggested watching Doctor Who at your place."

"So when Morgan finished filling me in, I thought it might be easier if you invited a few of us over to have dinner and watch it," Prentiss continued.  "I've watched a few episodes, and obviously Garcia has, so we thought if you invited us, it could be less intimidating for him.  And when the lucky day rolls around, Garcia and I will magically have complications."

Hotch considered the idea silently, rubbing his hand over his mouth.  "It has merit," he agreed after a moment, and when the three agents simply waited, exchanging grins, he sighed in defeat.  "How does next Friday sound?"

Garcia clapped happily, and Prentiss grinned.  "We should definitely be able to suddenly remember fake plans for a Friday evening," the dark-haired agent answered.

"All right, then.  Now that we have that settled, get back to work.  And Morgan, don't think I didn't notice you had no reason to be in here," Hotch admonished, though his tone was the slightest bit amused.

Morgan simply chuckled as they filed out of Hotch's office.  "I've gotta stay informed somehow."

* * *

Hotch stopped by Reid's desk later that evening, offering a smile to the genius when he looked up curiously.  "Next Friday, assuming we aren't on a case, Prentiss and Garcia are coming to my apartment in order to introduce me to Doctor Who.  I remember you mentioning it a few times, and I was wondering if you'd like to join us.  If you aren't busy, of course."

Reid's eyes shifted to the side in thought for a second before his gaze returned to Hotch, his lips quirking into a smile.  "Yeah, I'd love to!  What time?"

"I told them between six and six-thirty.  If it looks like I'll need to stay late, I'll let you all know beforehand.  We'll most likely order pizza.  And if you can't get there that early, it's fine.  I'm sure they plan on staying a while," Hotch muttered wryly, wondering how the lies rolled off his tongue so easily.

The younger man nodded with a short laugh.  "Knowing those two?  They'll probably bring wine, stay late, and ask to crash on your couch."

The image that conjured was so apt that Hotch found himself chuckling.  "You're right; that sounds exactly like something they would do."  His eyes caught and held Reid's for just a moment too long, and he found himself blurting, "I'm about to head home.  Do you need a ride?"

Reid smiled and shook his head.  "Thank you for the offer, but I'm actually waiting on JJ.  We're supposed to go to dinner, and she got caught up in her office."

Hotch ignored the flare of disappointment behind his ribs.  "Well, you two have fun.  I'll see you in the morning."

"I hope you have a pleasant evening, Hotch," Reid farewelled, and Hotch simply nodded back at him.

That was one less thing Hotch had to worry about.  Now he just had to hope they weren't on a case.

* * *

By some stroke of pure luck, they happened to wrap up a case in time to take the jet home next Friday afternoon.  Hotch had never quite had luck on his side, and it was almost a good omen of things to come, in his eyes.  Granted, the case had been rather trying, so it was highly possible _none_ of them would be in the mood to watch Doctor Who, even Reid.  The thought was a little disheartening.

Which was probably why he chose to bring up the subject while on the jet ride home.

Turning to Prentiss, Hotch quirked a brow.  "Are you and Garcia still on for tonight?"

Prentiss's brows furrowed before she gasped, her eyes widening.  " _Tonight_?  I thought you said it was _next Friday_?"

Hotch nearly smiled, but he managed to keep it contained.  "Yes, tonight.  I said 'next Friday' last week.  Should I have mentioned the date?"

"I guess I didn't put that together.  Garcia and I have plans with JJ.  It's Girl's Night," Prentiss explained with a frown.

JJ, having heard her name, peeked over the top of her seat.  "It took a lot of cajoling to get my sitter for tonight, Hotch," the blonde woman added.  "Why don't you invite Morgan and Rossi?  Make it a Guy's Night?"

Morgan scoffed from his seat at the back of the plane.  "Watch Doctor Who on a Friday night?  No, thanks.  Besides, I've already got plans."

"I already tried watching it.  Not really my thing," Rossi declined when eyes landed on him.

Hotch's gaze found Reid's, and the younger profiler shrugged as he answered the unspoken question with, "I'm still up for it if you are.  But if you want it to be a group event, we can reschedule."

With a smile and a shrug of his own, Hotch replied, "That's fine with me.  Given how late we'll be back, however, come to my place at seven-thirty instead?"

Reid grinned with a nod before going back to his book, his smile never leaving his face.

Hotch glanced back at Prentiss to see the dark-haired woman smirking, and JJ made sure to catch his attention so she could mouth, "Good luck," and wink before dropping back into her seat properly.

Smiling to himself, Hotch faced forward in his seat, pleased with the knowledge that every single member on his team was apparently supporting him in his endeavor.

* * *

Rose had just suggested launching a nuclear bomb at the Slitheen when it happened.  Reid was yawning around the first random fact he'd started to say the entire episode (which was surprising since he had been spouting them almost nonstop from the beginning of the first one) when he suddenly trailed off.  Hotch had glanced over at him in concern, only to be startled by the sight of the genius listing towards him.

Reid's head landed rather awkwardly on his shoulder because they were in real life and not some sort of romance film, and Hotch found himself staring curiously at the younger man, wondering just how Reid had managed to fall asleep mid-sentence.  Then again, Reid had fallen asleep on the jet without warning one time, so Hotch probably shouldn't have been _too_ surprised.

Shifting a little in an effort to make their position more comfortable, Hotch ended up slightly slumped on the couch, his one shoulder angled down in a way that had his head tilted, which only caused Reid's hair to tickle his face with every breath.  If anyone were to ask Hotch what happened in the last half-hour of the episode, he wouldn't have been able to answer.  He was too acutely aware of Reid's warmth against his side and of Reid's scent (which ironically smelled like coffee and perhaps a hint of cinnamon) tickling his nose, and by the time the ending credits were rolling, his thoughts were muddled.

Knowing he needed to put some distance between them, Hotch swallowed roughly and slowly moved until he was able to stand, keeping Reid's head held up with one hand.  He turned to face the couch and gently laid Reid's head against one of the couch pillows, holding his breath as the younger man mumbled something incoherent and shifted the tiniest bit in his sleep.  Hotch felt his heart flutter slightly at the utter contentment on Reid's face, and he couldn't help himself as he reached out to smooth a hand over Reid's hair.

Reid's face turned into the touch, and Hotch's breath caught in his throat at the unintentionally intimate gesture.  His eyes dropped to Reid's lips as they parted on a breath, and his own lips parted in response.  He wasn't sure when he'd leaned down, but when he felt soft puffs of air against his lips in time with Reid's breaths, he realized _just_ how close he was.  The desire to simply close the small space between their lips was strong, an intense yearning that made him shake as he fought against it.  It would feel so good to simply give in and take what he wanted, what he knew Reid wanted on some level; the likelihood that Reid would push him away was very slim, and yet... it wasn't how he wanted their first kiss to happen.  At all.

Hotch jerked away, stumbling backwards a few steps and almost knocking into the coffee table.  His breathing was harsh as he blindly turned around and walked to the entertainment center, opening one of the cabinets and pulling out the blanket he kept there for emergencies.  He turned back to Reid's sleeping form and covered him carefully with the blanket before making himself walk away and to his bedroom, relaxing back against the door once it was firmly shut.

He sincerely hoped that Reid figured it out soon; he was starting to lose grip on his control.

* * *

The following Monday JJ stopped by his office before she went to lunch, shutting the door behind her as an indicator of what the subject of discussion would be.  "So, Garcia told us about what happened, and she, Emily, and Morgan are scheming up something that Rossi and I think is over the top."

Hotch smiled and shook his head.  "At this point, nothing is surprising anymore.  And I'd like to take the time to say I was a little relieved that Reid didn't stick around long after he woke up on Saturday.  Watching him drink coffee was more domestic than I could handle."

"I'll bet," JJ replied with a knowing grin.  "Especially after the night you had."

"Did you come in here for a reason?" Hotch prompted, trying to fight back the flush creeping up his neck.

The blonde woman nodded, sighing slightly.  "Uh, yes, actually.  I thought I would suggest you, Reid, and Jack going to the zoo.  That way it's not at your apartment, and it won't really be an intimate setting.  If it would help, you could even take Henry with you.  It'd be his first trip to the zoo, but Will and I have missed other firsts."

Hotch was slightly stunned at the suggestion, and particularly at the willingness to make it go over well.  He knew how awful it felt to not be there for the first anything a parent's child did.  "Thank you," he told her sincerely.  "But I don't think it'll be necessary.  Jack would enjoy the zoo, and I'm sure I can come up with something to tell Reid.  It will certainly be a lot better than having them interact at my place."

JJ's expression turned serious, and possibly even a touch threatening.  "I'm trusting you to take care of him, Hotch.  Keep in mind I'll be the first person he runs to if something upsets him.  I don't care if you're my boss; I won't stand for that."

"And I wouldn't expect you to," Hotch answered immediately.  "Any of you.  I just want you to know I would never intentionally hurt him."

"I know," JJ answered with a slight smile.  Her phone suddenly started ringing, and her smile turned wry as she checked the caller ID.  "And this is my cue to leave.  Make plans for the zoo soon, Hotch.  While it's sweet that you're being so careful, it's a bit depressing to see Reid so oblivious."  With a wave of her hand, she answered her phone with, "I'm on my way, Will.  I had to take care of something," as she walked out of Hotch's office.

And for the second time in less than a week, Hotch wondered how he'd gotten so lucky to have such an amazing team.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, you can all thank [cvlthouse](www.cvlthouse.tumblr.com) for responding to my statement of, "I wanna have Hotch kiss Reid on the forehead" with " _or_ you could have him almost kiss Reid on the lips and then back out at the last second." That's how that happened. :D
> 
> And then I had the idea initially that Reid would fall asleep, but [Vsilus](http://archiveofourown.org/comments/32684733) suggested I have Reid fall asleep on Hotch's shoulder, which I wasn't going to do, but then decided why not since someone wanted it to happen. (I didn't have Hotch _not_ move however, so... yeah, sorry 'bout that...?)
> 
> ~~(Btw, Verity_Reigns, if you see this, I would have _so_ done the Blink episode idea you had, but with it being Hotch's first time watching, I thought it'd be best to not skip that far into the series. I hope this makes up for it, though!)~~
> 
> _edit_ : And since I wrote these notes before I knew I was including the last bit with JJ -- the zoo idea was from [borderlinecrazy](http://archiveofourown.org/comments/32671812), who suggested it as something they could do without Jack, but I decided to make it with Jack because of reasons. ^_^


	5. zoo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I'd like to thank borderlinecrazy for the zoo idea! I hope you all enjoy! <3

Reid knew he was probably staring at his boss like the older man had grown a second head, but considering said man had just asked him to go to the zoo the very next day with him and his son, Reid felt it was a justified reaction.  And then when he thought about the most likely reason _why_ Hotch was asking _him_ , he felt slightly offended.  "Hotch, can't you just go by yourselves?  I'm sorry if Beth cancelled and then the others already had plans, but I really don't enjoy being considered as your last resort because I supposedly don't do anything outside of work."

"Reid, what are you talking about?" Hotch queried, and he sounded legitimately confused.  "We'll come back to the Beth thing since that's far out in left field, but why would you think I'm asking you last?  I wanted to take Jack to the zoo, and since his favorite subject is currently science, I thought I would invite you so you could tell him interesting facts about the animals.  I also thought you might enjoy a day out."

"...oh," Reid murmured, feeling heat creep up his neck.  He cleared his throat and glanced away awkwardly, offering a sheepish smile when his gaze returned to Hotch.  "I, uh—sorry, really.  I didn't...  You really want to spend the day listening to me ramble about animals?"  It wasn't the best way to phrase it, but that was the initial thought that came after the surprise.

Hotch sighed almost fondly and perched himself on the edge of Reid's desk.  "Are you telling me that after all our lunches, our sparse dinners, and last week's Doctor Who enlightenment, that you think you spouting off random facts actually _bothers_ me?" he questioned, his voice thick with amusement. 

Reid shrugged slightly because he sort of did; he just also thought Hotch had a lot more patience than most others.  "Even if it doesn't, you weren't having to hear it for hours on end," he pointed out instead.  He didn't want to offend Hotch by answering his first question.

"Reid, don't worry about that.  It really doesn't bother me," Hotch repeated, holding Reid's gaze for a long moment.  Reid finally managed a nod, and Hotch smiled.  "So will you go to the zoo with us tomorrow, or do you have plans?"

"I'd like to go.  It sounds like it'll be fun," Reid replied, smiling up at his Unit Chief.

Hotch nodded satisfiedly.  "Good.  I'll pick you up around nine."  Reid half-expected the older man to get up at that point, but then he said, "Now, about Beth," and Reid ducked his head as his face flushed.  "Why did you think she had cancelled on me?"

Reid chanced a glance up at Hotch and was surprised at the quizzical expression on his face.  "Well, since you two are dating, I thought..."  When Hotch's brows only furrowed even more, Reid trailed off and paused before asking, "You two aren't dating?"

"Training for a triathlon is quite difficult by yourself.  With a partner, you typically aspire to do better and work harder at each task," Hotch explained.  "Beth and I are simply training together."

Reid was thoroughly perplexed.  "But Rossi said—"  He cut off his words abruptly, frowning.  He was thankful that Hotch kept quiet as he gathered his thoughts.  "Do you want to date her?" he finally asked, gaze refocusing on the other profiler.

Hotch studied him for a moment before shaking his head and muttering something Reid couldn't hear.  He then spoke in his normal tone, "No, I don't.  My interests lie elsewhere."

Slightly shocked by the second admission, Reid could only stare at his boss curiously.  "So you're contemplating a relationship with someone?"  The words spilled from his mouth before he could stop them, and he regretted them when Hotch smiled tightly and stood.

"Yes, I am," Hotch answered.  "I'll see you in the morning, Reid."  And with that farewell, the older man picked up his briefcase from where he'd set it on the ground before he started walking towards the exit of the bullpen.

Reid closed his eyes and slouched in his seat, dropping his head back with a grimace.  Sometimes he absolutely hated the near lack of a filter between his brain and his mouth.  He and Hotch had been having a remotely decent conversation—and by that he meant Hotch had been more amused than anything by it, which was always a good indicator—and he'd just had to press the issue.

But there was also something else that was bugging him.  The moment that Hotch had answered affirmatively, he'd felt disappointed because that most likely meant their odd lunches and dinners would probably come to a stop.  And for some reason, he wasn't quite sure he was ready for that to happen.

* * *

The trip to the zoo was going better than Reid had expected.  Hotch was acting normal, the awkwardness of their conversation the day before seemingly gone, and Jack was excited and kept asking questions about the animals—questions Reid was glad he actually knew the answers to.  The only thing that was a little uncomfortable were all the single mothers who kept flirting with Hotch, who was too much of a gentleman to not at least be remotely polite to the women.

Jack didn't seem to like it, either, so as a result, he practically stuck to Reid like glue.  It was unsettling in a good way, and at one point, when Reid could tell Jack was getting tired of walking, he picked the boy up and carried him the way he'd done with Henry multiple times.  It didn't occur to him at first that perhaps Hotch wouldn't appreciate it, but when that thought crossed his mind, he quickly turned to look at the older man.  He was slightly stunned when he saw Hotch smiling, and he blushed slightly and returned the smile before turning his attention back to Jack as the kid asked another question.

It shouldn't have been surprising to Reid when they decided to stop for lunch and Jack chose to go with him to find a table instead of wait with his father, but it was.  Even Hotch seemed remotely surprised, but he didn't comment on it and instead asked what they wanted to eat before letting them roam around to find an empty table.  It didn't take long, and they were lucky to nab one in the shade.  Reid quickly sent their location in a text to Hotch, and then he settled his attention on Jack, who was suddenly sulking.

"Hey, Jack, what's wrong?" Reid queried, concerned that he'd somehow inadvertently upset the boy.

Jack's fingers traced the holes on the table as he answered, "Daddy keeps talking to women." 

Reid bit down on his lower lip, uncertain how to handle the situation.  "You know, if you told him it was upsetting you, I'm sure he would stop.  I think he's only doing it to be polite.  Your dad is very well-mannered in that way."

The boy looked up at Reid intently before replying, "But it's rude for Daddy to do it in front of you."

That response threw Reid off, and he hesitated for a short moment.  "Why do you think that?"

"Because," Jack answered, looking confused, "this is a date."

Reid managed not to laugh and instead smiled warmly.  "I don't think this is a date, Jack."

"Why not?  You like Daddy, and he likes you.  Don't people that like each other go on dates?" Jack rejoined.

"I—we don't like each other like _that_ , Jack," Reid stammered, feeling his face flush.

Jack frowned.  "Daddy does.  He looks at you like he looked at Mommy in the photo albums."

Reid was floored by that remark, and he sat there floundering for words for a long moment.

"It's a miracle you two found a shaded spot."  Reid nearly jumped at the sound of Hotch's voice, and he promptly shoved the conversation with Jack to the back of his mind to be dealt with that evening.

* * *

Monday morning found Reid in Garcia's office while he and the tech analyst waited for JJ.  The moment the blonde woman closed the door behind her, he blurted, "I think I'm in love with Hotch."

" _Finally_ ," both women breathed in relief.

And then Garcia asked, "Wait, have you told Hotch yet?"

"Are you _crazy_?!  No, I haven't told him!" Reid squeaked.  "I don't know how!"

"Usually, you just say it," JJ replied, her lips twitching into a grin as Reid shot her a dark look.

"Not helping," he retorted with a pout.

Garcia reached out and patted his hand.  "Reid, sweetie, believe me when I say there's no wrong way to tell him.  He'd probably even forgive you if you said it in the middle of a case in front of the LEO's.  He's been waiting for you to realize this for a while."

Reid felt his face burn with a blush as he admitted, "I know.  Jack brought it to my attention, and it wasn't difficult to pinpoint the day Hotch started treating me differently."

JJ leaned against Garcia's desk and asked gently, "Then what's the problem, Spence?"

"I don't want to just blurt it to him," Reid mumbled, his gaze dropping to his hands.

Garcia and JJ shared a look, smiling fondly.  "Look, you go back to your desk, and I will make plans with the others to meet up outside of work hours.  We'll come up with something, my little genius," Garcia reassured him with a warm smile.

Reid allowed himself to be ushered out of her office, sighing as he walked down the hallway.  He knew exactly how the others liked to scheme, however, and he didn't quite trust what they would come up with.  So instead of heading to his desk, he took a quick detour.  The dark-haired man seated behind his desk looked up at the soft knock against the open door.  "Need something?"

"Yes.  Do you have some time to talk?  Personally?" Reid asked, his words rushed.

"Come on in, close the door, and have a seat."  Reid did just that, fidgeting nervously under the other man's calm gaze.  "What's on your mind?"

Reid took a deep breath before answering, "I'm in love with Hotch."

"And let me guess.  You went to Garcia and JJ first, and they're going to get Morgan and Prentiss, and all of them are going to come up with some elaborate scheme.  But you don't want that.  You just want something better than simply telling him in casual conversation," Rossi mused aloud, and Reid could only nod.  "Well, then, let's get started."


	6. fireworks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am totally screwing with timelines right now, so just pretend like I'm not, okay? Okay. (I just really wanted a July 4th thing because cliche kissing during fireworks, guys.)
> 
> I'm also taking liberties with Rossi's mansion. Can't remember if he has a pool (though memory says no) but he does now because I'm shameless. (;
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy, and thank you so much for sticking with this and giving very appreciated feedback! <3

"What are you and Jack doing this Wednesday?"

Hotch blinked and looked up from his paperwork to Rossi in confusion.  "The same we usually do, I guess."

The senior profiler quirked a brow.  "You don't have any special plans for the Fourth?"

"That's Wednesday?" Hotch queried with a frown.  When Rossi simply nodded, Hotch resisted the urge to groan his frustration with himself.  "No, we don't, and I was lucky to get him since he usually wants to go to the Brooks family's function."

Rossi flashed him a smile, winking.  "Well, you have plans now if you're interested.  The whole team is coming to my place at Reid's insistence.  The kid's apparently never celebrated the holiday, or at least not properly."

Hotch was slightly surprised.  "You're kidding."

"Ask him yourself if you don't believe me.  Anyway, I told him I'd ask you, or he'd have been in here himself earlier," Rossi explained.  "Now, however, I'm heading home, which is something you should probably do yourself.  See you in the morning, Aaron."

"Have a good night, Dave," Hotch called after the other man.  His gaze dropped to the report on his desk again, but his mind couldn't be further away.  How had he not known that Reid had never truly celebrated the Fourth of July?

* * *

Hotch and Jack ended up a little bit late to Rossi's on the Fourth, but it wasn't enough to make any of the team call him, so that was a plus.  Jack easily led the way through Rossi's home, and when they finally made it to the back, Jack's yell of, "Whoa!" was the most apt response Hotch could think of.

Rossi had gone all out, and Hotch would bet Garcia helped.  The colors red, white, and blue were everywhere, and there were far too many star balloons and other star decorations.  There was a table full of food, sweets, and drinks, and on another table were sparklers and firecrackers, and Hotch was willing to bet there were fireworks somewhere, as well.  

Almost everyone was sitting in chairs by the pool, and rather ironically, Reid was the first to notice both of them as Jack went running up to the group.  Hotch followed at a slower pace, quirking a brow at Rossi as the rest of the group greeted Jack, though he was obviously more interested in talking to Henry.

"Isn't this a bit overboard?" Hotch murmured to the older man, being sure to keep his voice down.

Rossi gave him on of his signature smug looks.  "The kid loved it, so I think it's a success."

Hotch had to fight against the urge to scowl, which was only made possible when Reid made eye contact with him and waved in greeting with a smile.  Hotch managed a smile back before looking back at Rossi.  "I'm surprised you didn't start eating already."

"Oh, I wanted to, but the kid insisted we wait.  He has a nauseating soft spot for you, but I think you know that," Rossi replied.  Before Hotch could retort, the Italian called out, "Now that our last two guests have arrived, who's ready to eat?"

Naturally, the kids and the women went first, followed by Reid, and then the rest simply filed in line behind the boy genius.  They ended up sitting in the pool chairs as they ate, talking idly and listening to Reid's random facts about the holiday and the themes associated with it.  Hotch couldn't help but smile to himself as Reid rattled off fact after fact, and eventually it became obvious that the only ones listening were Hotch, Jack, and Henry, so Reid moved seats, sitting down on the same long chair Hotch had taken.  The younger man picked up where he'd stopped, and Jack and Henry paid attention avidly while Hotch tried to ignore just how close Reid was sitting next to him.

And then far too soon, the group started dressing down to their bathing suits and helping each other put on suntan lotion.  Hotch tried to prolong eating as much as he could, but it wasn't long enough.  Nothing would have been able to prepare him for Reid turning to him with a slightly shy smile and asking, "Do you think you could cover my back?"

"Sure."  Hotch wasn't sure how he managed to sound nonchalant when he was anything but, and he swallowed roughly as the younger man tugged off his shirt before resuming his seat on the chair.  Hotch picked up the sunblock that Reid had just put on Jack and uncapped it, squeezing the lotion onto his palm and rubbing his hands together to warm it before putting shaking hands on the bare skin of Reid's shoulders.  It was ridiculous how intimate it felt to be doing such a small thing, but Hotch's pulse was racing and he could feel his heart pounding in his ears.

The only thing that kept him from inappropriate thoughts was the sound of Jack's and Henry's squeals of laughter.  It was fairly easy to not think about anything sexual when he was so aware of his son being nearby, and as a result he managed to finish coating Reid's back fairly quickly and without any mishaps, and then the younger man flashed a grin at him.  "Thanks, Hotch.  You want me to do yours?"

_God, yes._

"Not right this moment.  I think I'm going to sit out for a bit. Thank you for the offer, though," he answered sincerely, his heart fluttering as Reid gave him one of those dammed shyly-flirty looks.  It took every ounce of self-control he had to not pull the younger man into a kiss, consequences be dammed.  Instead, he swallowed roughly as Reid stood and moved to sit at the edge of the pool, his lean muscles rippling under smooth skin.

"The expression on your face is borderline indecent," Rossi announced quietly as he took a seat on the chair beside Hotch's.

Hotch shot him a glare and retorted, "It was your bright idea to allow this, Dave.  There's only so much I can handle."

Rossi snorted.  "Then why don't you do something about it instead of going along with these ridiculous schemes the team's cooked up?  The kid's not going to run away screaming; it's not his style.  He might need a little time to process it, but you won't scare him off."

Hotch's gaze returned to Reid as the younger man yelped, and he smiled at the sight of Prentiss and JJ dragging the genius into the water.  He pretended like he couldn't feel Rossi staring at him, waiting for a reply that was never going to come.

* * *

Hotch eventually allowed himself to be coerced into the pool, mainly because Jack wanted to be thrown.  Somehow that turned into a competition of who could throw the boys farther (which Hotch only won by the slightest amount because he was used to doing it, whereas Morgan was not) which eventually led to slight rough housing in general, and somehow they ended up playing rounds of Chicken, with different people putting Jack and Henry on their shoulders and facing off.  Reid was surprisingly well-balanced with Henry, and after quite a few rounds (with breaks of course) it was finally Hotch's turn with Jack.

"All right, buddy, what's the plan?  You want to win this round?" Hotch whispered conspiratorially, and Jack grinned with an emphatic nod.  "It might be tough.  You sure you're up for it?"

"Yeah!" Jack exclaimed in a whisper.  "No one beats Daddy, 'member?"

Hotch smiled affectionately and knelt down in the water to let Jack climb on his shoulders.  A glance at Reid and Henry showed the other two were ready, as well, and Hotch stood back up before wading over to the designated "chicken ring."  Hotch caught Reid's eye and mouthed the words "good luck" with a wink and a smile that surprisingly caused the younger man to bite down on his lower lip with a pretty blush coloring his cheeks.

"And... fight!" Prentiss yelled once they'd both come to a stop.

Due to the height of both boy's Hotch and Reid were standing much closer than Hotch was comfortable with, but he managed to focus more on Henry and the technique the blonde boy was using than on Reid.  Fighting temptation during lunches and dinners seemed to pay off rather well, for he was able to keep on track.  There was one point when he noticed Henry was starting to lean forward too far, and Hotch leaned backwards a little in order to keep Jack from falling.

The change in position resulted in Henry leaning just a little too far forward, and when Reid tried to accommodate for it, Henry was thrown off-balance, splashing into the water with a squealing laugh.  Jack crowed happily before falling backwards, and Hotch let his son slip off his shoulders into the water.  When he turned to face him, Jack was beaming up at him.  "Way to go, buddy!" Hotch congratulated, pulling his son in for a hug.  Jack clung to him as he turned back around to check on Reid and Henry.

"Good game, Henry," Jack told the other boy sincerely, using the phrase the soccer team was encouraged to tell other players at the end of a game.  "You're really good."

"Thanks, Jack.  You, too!" Henry replied good-naturedly, wriggling in Reid's grip.  "I want cookies."

Hotch chuckled as Jack echoed the statement with, "Yeah, can we have cookies now, Uncle Dave?"

"Absolutely!  I'll even get the real ice cream," Rossi answered with a grin as he reached out and took Jack.

Reid's face lit up as he asked, "Oh, is it gelato?"

Rossi scoffed.  "Of course.  You think I would keep that poor excuse for ice cream you Americans eat?"

Hotch muffled his laughter behind his hand as Reid started splashing wildly in an effort to get out of the pool.  "I'll get it!" the younger man yelled as he stumbled up the steps and took off towards the house.

Rossi shot Hotch a wide-eyed glance that he knew all too well, and Hotch rolled his eyes before pulling himself up on the side of the pool.  "He's not going to break anything, Dave.  But if it makes you feel better, I'll help him," Hotch sighed as he stood and followed after Reid.  It was apparently a good thing he did because Reid was frowning at the kitchen cabinets when Hotch walked inside.  "Far left upper cabinet has bowls."

Reid squeaked and jumped, his hand going to his throat.  "Hotch, would it hurt you to be less quiet?" he queried, exhaling shakily.

Hotch chuckled softly.  "Sorry.  If you'll grab the bowls and a towel Dave keeps in the bottom cabinet in case of large spills, I'll get the rest."  At Reid's questioning look, Hotch added, "He won't appreciate us leaving his kitchen floor wet."

"Oh, right," Reid murmured before doing as Hotch had said.  Hotch smiled fondly before grabbing spoons from the silverware drawer and then hunting down the ice cream scooper.  A glance at Reid showed the genius using the towel to mop up the excess pool water dripping off them both, and Hotch moved to the freezer to pull out two containers of gelato.  His gaze once more returned to Reid, who was holding the towel like he was unsure what to do with it.

"Just put it on the counter," Hotch ordered, and Reid jumped slightly but did as he was bade.  "Can you carry the spoons and scooper in the bowls?"

Reid nodded, stuttering, "Y-yes, of course," and grabbing the aforementioned items, dropping them into the bowls before picking up said bowls and practically darting out of the kitchen.

Hotch frowned and noted the odd behavior, hoping he'd remember to bring it up later.

* * *

It all fell into place later, after they were playing with sparklers and firecrackers as Morgan and Rossi set up the fireworks.  Rossi had refused to let Hotch help because Jack was there, but Jack was far more interested in playing with Henry, so Will and JJ were taking care of him.  Reid had joined him and was in the midst of a few facts about fireworks when the first one was set off, and Reid's gaze immediately caught on the shower of golden sparks, inhaling sharply.  Hotch was more interested in watching Reid's reaction than he was in the actual fireworks, and he couldn't contain his smile as Reid spouted off another random fact without looking away from the sky.  "Did you know that the Chinese set off fireworks because they believe the loud noise scares away evil spirits?"

Hotch smiled and softly replied, "I did not."

Reid suddenly looked at him, his lips twitching into a shy smile.  "There are other traditions thought to do such a thing.  Ancient Europeans thought they could ward off evil spirits by kissing."  There was an odd warmth to Reid's eyes that Hotch didn't recall seeing before, and it was remotely distracting.  He barely heard Reid as the younger man continued speaking, going off in a tangent about kisses again.  "...because lips are so sensitive, the description of 'feeling fireworks' is rather apt since your nerve endings are..."

And that was when Hotch knew Reid was aware, and he cut the genius off mid-sentence with a hot, needy kiss.  Reid gasped against his lips, hands scrambling to catch on his shoulders, and Hotch moaned in pleased relief as he licked into Reid's mouth, his hands anchoring in the younger man's still-damp curly locks.  He didn't lift his head until Reid was trembling against him, a high whimper sounding in his throat.  

"How long have you known?" Hotch rasped, pressing his forehead against the younger man's.

Reid's soft pants tickled Hotch's lips as he answered, "The zoo.  Jack was upset about you and the women because he thought we were on a date.  He drew my attention to certain things after that."

Hotch gently bit Reid's lower lip in reprimand.  "You little tease," he muttered, licking along Reid's lip.  "So you planned the sunblock thing?"

"That was actually Rossi's idea.  He thought it might help.  And then I was supposed to blindside you when we were inside getting ice cream, but I couldn't do it," Reid admitted, and Hotch could just make out the glow of a blush on Reid's cheeks.  "But since you made the first move, I think it's only fair that I tell you I'm pretty certain I've been in love with you for...six years, ten months, and three days."

Hotch could barely breathe.  Reid knew the exact day?  "If you want to watch the fireworks, you need to tell me before I kiss you again because I have waited almost a year for you to realize I'm in love with you, and have been for quite some time."  Reid smiled up at him, hazel eyes glowing, and Hotch pressed their lips together once more.

And yeah, he could definitely feel the fireworks.


End file.
